You Can Trust Me
by TheEvanescentOne
Summary: The Dark Lord seems to be interested in Bellatrix's private affairs... but to what end? Perhaps she will finally get what she has always desired. Written for Potterheadx10's number challenge forum.


**AN: Written for Potterheadx10's Number Challenge.**

**Pairing: Bellatrix/Voldemort (7)**

**Quote: "trust is like a mirror, you can fix it if it's broken, but you still see the crack in the reflection" (14)**

**Enjoy!**

You Can Trust Me

The Death Eaters' caused only a low grumble of noise as they rose from their chairs in effect of the Dark Lord dismissing them. Only the five residents of Malfoy Manor remained seated as the sharp cracks of people Apparating echoed like popping bubble wrap throughout the grand hall.

Silence reverberated.

After an uncomfortable few moments Lucius Malfoy cleared his throat and pushed back his chair which scraped against the wooden floor and produced an ear splitting noise to which Draco, Narcissa and Bellatrix all cringed. The head of the Malfoy estate was not in his best of states. He had just been humiliated in front of the entire Death Eater inner circle. He had no wand. The Dark Lord had taken his wand. Keeping his head low as if permanently embarrassed, Lucius laid a hand on his shaken wife's shoulder and obediently, she stood to accompany him out of this room.

"Come, Draco," he rasped and Draco jumped at the chance to leave the presence of his Master.

Only Bellatrix was left sitting at the table, her cheeks flushed pink as she watched her Master with unrequited reverence and adoration. He sat with his elbows leaning on the table, Lucius' wand in his spidery fingers as he studied the wood. His intense gaze made it look as if he was boring right the way down to examine the dragon heartstring core. Bella tilted her head and bit her lip as she continued to observe the Dark Lord.

_I wish he would look at me like that…_

The thoughts she knew would never be said aloud fluttered freely in her mind as he stroked the wand as if it were a lover. When a slight smirk crossed his lips, Bella's heart stopped momentarily. She had rarely seen the Dark Lord smile before save when he laughed in the face of Mudbloods or such like. Why the smirk?

After only a few moments, the reasoning behind the Dark Lord's slight smile was of little interest to Bella and she once again found herself thinking.

_I'll stay here until he dismisses me personally. I will be noticed by him again. Merlin, I want him to notice me… _

Again, the Dark Lord's lips curled into a smirk. The suspense was too much for Bellatrix. Twice he had shown a sly smile when her thoughts turned to him. Surely it was not a coincidence. Was he reading her mind? It was, of course, known that he could do such a thing.

"M-my Lord?" she began, his snake-like eyes only tearing away slightly from the wand as she broke the silence. It was then she realised she didn't actually know what she was asking him. She stuttered for a moment as her pink cheeks turned a bright shade of scarlet and then fell silent.

"Is something the matter, Bellatrix?" the Dark Lord said in a soft hiss.

Bella met his gaze fearfully and shook her head, causing her wild curls to fly in all directions, "No, no, my Lord."

"Do not lie to me, Bellatrix. You know I do not tolerate liars."

Once again, Bellatrix found herself stuttering before she could speak, "F-forgive me, my Lord only you… you smiled. I was just wondering why, my Lord? I don't mean to prude, it is not my place." She bowed her head from across the table.

The Dark Lord's chuckle came as only a murmur to her prudence. As Lucius' had, the Dark Lord's chair screeched against the floor as he stood up and moved from behind the table, facing Bellatrix.

"Come to me, Bellatrix," he ordered in an unassuming voice.

Immediately, Bellatrix's breath caught and she through back her chair hurriedly so she could rush to her Master and kneel before him. Her chest heaved at the close proximity to the man she lusted for as she kissed his extended hand with pleasure.

"Good. Now, stand."

As quickly as she had approached the Dark Lord, Bellatrix stood and bowed her head to show yet more respect, "My Lord," she found herself speaking low a sort of sigh.

"Look at me, Bellatrix. I know you are not afraid to do so," he said, the smirk crossing his lips once more. Bellatrix did as she was asked and raised her eye line so that her own black irises fused with the Dark Lord's stained crimson ones. Her heart gave another flutter. Again, a smirk. Bella's cheeks burned something terrible and she wished that she could be doused with some water or, even better, a jug of Butterbeer.

"What do you lust for, Bellatrix?" came the Dark Lord's surprising question. Bella blinked once in reply, her mind suddenly spinning out of control at his inquiry.

"M-my Lord?"  
"You heard me Bellatrix. What is it that you desire?"  
Again it was Bellatrix's turn to speak but all she could feel were his eyes scrutinizing her. Her throat was very dry as she tried to speak. When she finally said something, it came out in a whisper that was barely audible, "Only to please you, my Lord."  
"Louder," he said, quite calmly.

She cleared her throat, finding it excruciatingly difficult to keep eye contact with him, "Only to please you, my Lord," she managed with a little more confidence.

Voldemort's thin lips curled into a twisted, malicious smile, "In more than one way, my Bellatrix. Am I wrong?"  
Bella felt as though she could cry at the pain it caused her to have to do this. Tears were already prickling at the back of her wide eyes as she took in heaving breaths and shook her head, "No, my Lord. You are not wrong."

The Dark Lord chuckled and made her blood run cold. Bellatrix's eyes darted to the floor where they were a little, though not much, more comfortable. She was kneading her hands and ringing them together nervously when the Dark Lord took hold of her left hand. At his touch, she thought she may faint. At least, she was light headed from all the heavy breathing.

"And what does your dearly beloved think of that fact, _Madam _Lestrange?" the Dark Lord asked, inspecting her wedding ring. It was in the shape of a silver serpent that spiralled around her finger with two green stones where its eyes should have been. At the mention of Rodolphus, Bella's heart seemed to physically sink. Since imprisonment in Azkaban sixteen years ago, Bellatrix had not thought much about her husband. They used to be very close, perhaps even loved each other, but the Dementors had done away with any happy memories or fantasies she may have held dear to her. Swallowing so to wet her throat, she shook her head slightly once again and answered, "He and I are only married for convenience, my Lord. He does not care regarding my desires."

"Good," he answered in a silky voice, "I seem to recall a time where he cared for you, Bellatrix. Surely you have desired to _please _me for a long time for there was a time you had… what do they call it? _Trust_ issues?"

Bella didn't quite know how to respond to his unusual behaviour. This was not something she would have predicted to come from the Dark Lord and it was delving into matters she felt were very private.

"I-I suppose so, my Lord…" she commented unsurely.

"How can any man trust you if your own _husband_ believes he cannot trust you?"

Bella's eyes threatened tears of all sorts now; embarrassment being the prime factor. However terrible he was making her feel now though, there was a truth in what he was saying and if she was right in what this was leading to, surely going along with it would give her exactly what she was after.

"Well, my Lord," she spoke, confidence finally starting to shine through the alarm, "My mother once told me something about trust. She said 'trust is like a mirror, you can fix it if it's broken, but you still see the crack in the reflection'. What I mean by that, master, is that trust was broken between Rodolphus and I due to… _other_ affairs but we are still married," she glanced to her wedding ring as if to back up her point, "The crack in the mirror being the fact I still do desire _other _things."

The Dark Lord seemed to consider her for a moment then spoke again, "You have not answered my question as I had wished however good an answer that was. Perhaps I was not clear. How can _I_ trust you, Bellatrix?" his eyes seemed to pin her down with something like longing sparking from them.

Bellatrix felt a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips as she plainly assured him, "You can trust me, my Lord."


End file.
